Sound of Freedom
Summary
phone of Freedompremiered in July 2023 and was a surprise hit at the box office . Butin the calendar month accompany its spillage , the motion-picture show , the masses behind the making of it , and its inspiration have been at the heart of numerous contention . The 2023 Angel Studios crime thriller film is found on Tim Ballard ’s oeuvre to combat sex trafficking and revolve around one of his missions to save a missy from a trafficking ring in Columbia . However , the truth behind the moving picture ( and Ballard ’s score of his missions ) has been questioned by many after its premiere .
Thecast ofSound of Freedomfeatured Jim Caviezel as Tim Ballard , Mira Sorvino as Katherine Ballard , Bill Camp as Vampiro , Eduardo Verástegui as Paulo Delgado , Javier Godino as Jorge , José Zúñiga as Roberto Aguilar , Kurt Fuller as Frost , Gary Basaraba as Earl Buchanan , and Gerardo Taracena as El Alacrán . They come together to adapt Ballard ’s tale for the big screen with a script written by Alejandro Monteverde ( also the manager ) and Rod Barr . Despite its shocking succeeder ( the motion-picture show grossed $ 250.3 million against a $ 14.5 million budget ) , there is much debate pertain the story ’s validity , specially since Ballard and others have been accused of several controversial actions .
Tim Ballard Parted Ways With Operation Underground Railroad
before long after the release ofSound of Freedomon July 4 , 2023 , Operation Underground Railroad — the Utah - based anti - sex trafficking system that Tim Ballard founded in 2013 — announced thatBallard had go away the nonprofit in June 2023.He was the chief executive officer , and given his recent increase in promotional material due to the flick about his living , it was surprising to ascertain that Ballard was no longer attach to Operation Underground Railroad . However , in the hebdomad adopt the news about his dissociation with the governance , it became clear why Ballard parted manner with the nonprofit ( which has also been at the inwardness of controversy regarding its methods , funding , and aver false claims ) .
" O.U.R. is dedicate to combatting sexual abuse , and does not tolerate sexual harassment or favoritism by anyone in its organisation . O.U.R. retained an independent natural law firm to conduct a comprehensive investigating of all relevant allegation , and O.U.R. continues to assess and improve the governance of the organization and protocols for its mathematical process . "
audio of Freedom ’s box government agency numbers have taken Hollywood by storm , making audience odd about how its earnings liken to its production budget .
Sound Of Freedom Has Been Accused Of Inaccuracy
As bring up above , someexperts allege thatSound of Freedomis primarily a work of fiction rather than a reliable narrative of Tim Ballard ’s missionto deliver children from sexual activity trafficking in Columbia . They claimed that the 2023 crime thriller ’s depiction of small fry sex trafficking and how the politics combats it was inaccurate . These statements led to others revisiting investigating into Operation Underground Railroad and how true the formation had been when reporting figures concerning how many masses its member had saved from sexual practice trafficking . Plus , the nonprofit has been criticized for its methods . As a answer , the truthfulness behind the motion picture has been widely debate .
Tim Ballard Was Interested In Running For The Senate
In the months following the departure ofSound of Freedom , NBC Newsreported that Tim Ballard was " very badly considering " consort for a vacant United States Senate seat in 2024 . Mitt Romney , the junior Senator from Utah , previously annunciate that he would not run for reelection and would retire follow the conclusion of his current term in 2025 . So , Ballard was concerned in running for Romney ’s Utah bottom , but that might deepen due to late events .
The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-Day Saints Denounced Tim Ballard
After the intimate misconduct allegations bear on Tim Ballard ’s doings within Operation Underground Railroad became public , the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - day Saints excommunicate him . It also did n’t serve that Ballard had previously take that M. Russell Ballard , the Chief Executive of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of the Mormon Church until his decease in November 2023 , approved of his study with his non-profit-making . The Church release a personal reprehension of Ballard that stated :
" [ We ] never endorsed , plump for or represented OUR , Tim Ballard or any projects consort with them . Once it became clean Tim Ballard had tell on their friendship , through the unauthorized use of President Ballard ’s name for Tim Ballard ’s personal vantage and activity reckon as morally unacceptable , President Ballard withdrew his association . "
Jim Caviezel ’s action mechanism thriller Sound of Freedom was a surprise success at the box office , but will the controversial moving picture get another installment ?
Sexual Assault Lawsuits Have Been Filed Against Tim Ballard
In October 2023 , five anonymous women filed a sexual rape lawsuit against Tim Ballard thatalleged the former CEO of Operation Underground Railroad had manipulate and abused them during undercover missions . The lawsuit also claim that the higher - ups at Operation Underground Railroad were mindful of the wrongdoing and did nothing about it . quick after the lawsuit became public , a sixth woman came forward and filed her own lawsuit . TheSlatearticle goes into more contingent concerning the troubling allegement , but most of them revolve around Ballard pick out advantage of women while they were hugger-mugger as sex trafficking victim .
Sound Of Freedom Producer Was Accused Of Sexual Misconduct
Tim Ballard was n’t the only figure associated withSound of Freedomwho has been the subject of intimate misconduct probe — Paul Hutchinson , a producer and Operation Underground Railroad employee , was trance on television camera groping the breasts of an minor fille during a mission in Cabo San Lucas , Mexico , consort toNewsweek . Hutchinson claim that the sex trafficking victim was over 18 year old at the prison term , but the FBI ’s probe report card suggests otherwise . Nevertheless , Mexican authority did not squeeze charges against Hutchinson .
Sound Of Freedom Funder Was Arrested
Fabian Marta , one of the patrons who donate toSound of Freedom , was arrested in St. Louis , Missouri , andcharged with accessory to child kidnappinga few weeks after the 2023 moving picture ’s premiere . A few calendar month following his arrest , though , the Missouri Circuit Court drop the charges and released a statement that revealed there was no sufficient grounds to prove Marta was guilty . Despite his release , the arrest for sure did n’t quiet the controversies surrounding the movie .
In movie theatre story , filmmaker tackled the subject of human trafficking with both sensitiveness and importunity , shoot for to levy awareness and pep up natural process
Eduardo Verástegui Is Running For President Of Mexico
audio of Freedomis uncommitted to stream on Amazon Prime Video .
Source : Vice , NBC News , Slate , Newsweek
